Lexical Summary ennea: Nine Original Word: ἐννέα Strong's Exhaustive Concordance nine. A primary number; nine -- nine. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina primary number Definition nine NASB Translation nine (1), ninety-nine* (4). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 1767: ἐννέαἐννέα, οἱ, αἱ, τά (from Homer down), nine: Luke 17:17; see the following word. Topical Lexicon Canonical Occurrences of the Term Matthew 18:12, Matthew 18:13, Luke 15:4, Luke 15:7, and Luke 17:17 each contain the numeral by way of the phrase “ninety-nine” or the question “Where then are the other nine?” These occurrences cluster around two of the most beloved Lukan parables and a single Matthaean parallel, together with the miracle of the ten lepers. There is no other New Testament use of the word outside these five verses, giving the number a sharply defined narrative setting: something precious is missing, and heaven is watching the response of those left behind. Numerical Symbolism Scripture often uses numbers with theological resonance. Ten signifies completeness (Genesis 1’s ten creative words; the Ten Commandments). Nine, therefore, depicts something just short of fullness. The missing one heightens dramatic tension, calling attention to grace that restores what lacks. By stopping at nine, the text insists that God’s work is not finished until every wanderer is sought, every outcast cleansed, and every seat at the heavenly banquet filled (Revelation 19:9). The Parable of the Lost Sheep (Matthew 18; Luke 15) The shepherd leaves “the ninety-nine” (ἐνενήκοντα ἐννέα) in search of the one. Here the nine functions inside a number that embodies corporate security and apparent sufficiency. Yet the shepherd’s heart is with the missing sheep. When he finds it, “he rejoices more over that one sheep than over the ninety-nine” (Matthew 18:13). The lesson confronts any congregation tempted to rest content with the majority safely gathered. True pastoral ministry measures success not merely by the flock retained but by the lost restored. The Cleansing of the Ten Lepers (Luke 17:11-19) After Jesus heals the ten, “one of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back, glorifying God in a loud voice” (Luke 17:15). The Lord asks, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where then are the other nine?” (Luke 17:17). Nine stand as the majority that receives mercy yet withholds gratitude. The Samaritan alone embodies saving faith. The episode warns that physical blessing, even divine intervention, does not guarantee spiritual transformation. Thanksgiving completes the miracle by directing glory to its Source. Pastoral and Missional Implications 1. Shepherding the One: Leaders are called to costly pursuit, mirroring the shepherd’s initiative. Programs that serve the ninety-nine must never eclipse evangelistic urgency for the absent. Historical and Cultural Background First-century shepherds commonly grouped flocks of one hundred; leaving the ninety-nine in open country was plausible because communal grazing and night corrals provided relative safety. Leprosy, meanwhile, rendered sufferers ritually unclean, requiring isolation (Leviticus 13:45-46). A healed leper’s first obligation was priestly verification, yet one Samaritan prioritizes worship of Jesus over temple ritual, anticipating the new covenant shift from cultic purity to Christ-centered faith. Liturgical and Devotional Usage Early Christian hymnody (e.g., the second-century Odes of Solomon) celebrates the Shepherd who brings home the lost. In Advent and Lent, readings from Luke 15 and 17 underscore God’s redemptive initiative and humanity’s need for repentance. The number nine also frames spiritual disciplines: the traditional “ninth hour” of prayer (Acts 3:1) and the nine fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) remind worshipers that sanctification, like rescue, is God’s ongoing work. Doctrinal and Ethical Reflections • Soteriology: Salvation is personal; the shepherd knows each sheep. Yet it is also communal; the flock rejoices together. Practical Application for Church Life • Conduct periodic “sheep counts”—member care reviews that identify absent believers and assign personal follow-up. The fivefold New Testament witness of this modest numeral thus presses a profound question upon every generation of believers: will we remain among the comfortable nine, or join the Shepherd in His relentless quest for the one and return with thankful hearts to glorify Him? Forms and Transliterations ενενήκοντα εννεα εννέα ἐννέα εννεακαίδεκα εννεακαιδέκατος εννενήκοντα εννενηκονταδύο ennea ennéaLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Matthew 18:12 AdjGRK: τὰ ἐνενήκοντα ἐννέα ἐπὶ τὰ INT: the ninety nine on the Matthew 18:13 Adj Luke 15:4 Adj Luke 15:7 Adj Luke 17:17 Adj |
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